


Sacrifice

by queenofourhearts



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Act of True Love, F/F, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swan Queen Week Summer 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 20:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4363217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofourhearts/pseuds/queenofourhearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The people of Storybrooke are trapped in the Heroes and Villains-verse. Nothing seems to be able to get them back home, but maybe a sacrifice will?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Swan Queen Week 5, day 6: Act of True Love)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning, there is a bit of angst ahead, along with some violence. If you're triggered by this or by mentions of either Regina or Emma being badly hurt, then I would suggest that you read something else.

Regina sprinted through the forest, her bow and quiver bouncing against her back and her long hair sticking to her forehead. One word kept repeating itself in her mind: “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” She should have known better, she was a well-versed bandit for crying out loud; losing her focus like that would surely get her killed. “Not today though,” she thought as she practically flew over the forest floor, jumping over fallen trees and avoiding low hanging branches.

 

The thumping of heavy boots and clanging of weapons behind her grew quiet, and she allowed herself to slow down. The royal guards had given up the chase. For now at least. Breathing hard, she arrived back at her lair and threw the day’s bounty on a rickety old table before moving over to the bucket with fresh water beside it and splashing her face, pushing the dark strands of hair back from her face.

 

At the sound of boots against wood, she quickly got hold of her bow and an arrow, aiming at the entrance. 

 

“Show yourself or I won’t hesitate to put an arrow through you!”

 

A head of blonde hair came into sight then. “Don’t shoot Regina! It’s only me.”

 

The brunette lowered her bow. “Emma. What are you doing here? Is Henry okay?”

 

The blonde woman and her son had shown up several weeks ago, claiming to be from another land and that the boy, Henry, was also Regina’s son. However incredible that had sounded, the bandit had felt a connection to these people and helped them find a place to live in a nearby village and checked in on them every now and again. 

 

Emma came into the lair hands still up and smiled. “Henry’s fine, I just wanted to see how you were doing.” Her greenish-blue eyes flitted to the table where the bag of coins and some jewelry lay, the royal crest embroidered on the bag.

 

“Regina, do you really think stealing from Snow is a great idea? She already has it in for you, you’re just putting yourself in more danger.”

 

The brunette scoffed, “Please, I can handle it. Those oafs have nothing on me; I know this forest like the back of my hand.”

 

“I’m not saying that you’re not capable of handling yourself, it’s Snow and her army I don’t trust. Rumor has it she’s furious about not having caught you yet and that she’ll soon do anything do draw you out. I just want you to be careful… You know, for Henry,” the blonde finished awkwardly and stared at her own feet.

 

“Right…” Regina could feel the tension growing thick. The two women had sort of danced around it, but the fact was that they had shared a few moments of… Well, she didn’t quite know what to call it. They obviously had some sort of feelings towards each other, and the quiet burning in pit of her stomach was pretty obvious as to how her body interpreted those feelings. But this woman, and her, well their, son, claimed to be from some strange place called Maine and Regina didn’t know what to make of it. They both seemed quite normal apart from that though and there was a part of her, deep down, which felt like she was coming home every time she saw one of them.

 

“So um… How’s life in the village treating you?” The brunette tried to veer away from the awkwardness.

 

“It’s uh… great actually. We sort of miss indoor plumbing though you know?” Emma answered and let out a small laugh when she realized what she had said. “Damn, I keep forgetting you don’t remember the wonders of Storybrooke.”

 

Regina only frowned at that, but decided to not get into another discussion about authors and realm traveling and that Maine-place.

 

“Well, I’ll get out of your hair Regina, I just wanted to check in,” Emma said while moving towards the exit.

 

“Emma wait!” Regina reached for the bag on the table and removed the jewelry from inside, leaving the gold coins. “Here,” she said while throwing the bag to the blonde, who barely caught it before it smacked into her face.

 

“Uh, I can’t accept this. We have what we need Regina, and you live in a-“

 

“Don’t go there. I like it here, and if you already have everything you need you can get something you want with that money.” She turned away, signaling to Emma that the conversation was over. Before the blonde could leave though, Regina turned her head and said “Tell Henry I said hi.” 

 

Emma just nodded and left the bandit’s lair.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After getting back to their little cottage in the village, Emma had hid the bag of money and taken Henry out to the tavern across the street for dinner. They had only just started to eat, when shouts and screams sounded from outside, along with the beating of hooves and the metallic sounds of weapons being drawn.

 

“Henry, get behind the counter and stay there!” she ordered her son.

 

When Emma stepped out from the tavern, there were royal soldiers all over the village, tearing through the houses and threatening villagers. She immediately ran over to her and Henry’s cottage, only to find two soldiers inside, turning the place upside down.

 

“What the hell is going on?” the blonde yelled, anger bubbling underneath her skin.

 

“A royal carriage was robbed not far from here. We’re under orders from the Queen to search the village,” one of the soldiers answered gruffly while pushing her aside to enter the tiny kitchen.

 

The blood drained from Emma’s face. She could only watch as the soldier rummaged through their things, turning every pot and pan upside down. The bag of coins fell to the floor with a heavy thump. 

 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the soldier sneered and picked it up. “The royal crest.” He stepped forward and grabbed the blonde’s upper arm. “Looks like we found our thief.”

 

Emma closed her eyes. She knew she was screwed.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Regina had settled in for the night after dinner. She was in her makeshift bed, reading one of the books she had… procured over the years. She was so into the process of how to make an apple tree survive just about anything that she didn’t discover the intruder until he spoke.

 

“M-mom?”

 

The brunette flew up, discarding the book and looking at the boy, whose face was contorted in tears. Normally she would chide him for calling her mom, but that didn’t even cross her mind at the sight of the sobbing boy.

 

“Henry? What’s wrong? Where is your mother?” A heavy feeling settled in her gut when she realized that Emma wasn’t with him and tears trickled down his cheeks at her questions.

 

“Henry, where is Emma?!”

 

“Th-they took her,” he sobbed. The brunette’s body seemed to react instinctually as she stepped forward and enveloped the boy in a tight hug.

 

“Who took her? Tell me what happened.”

 

As the boy told his story of what he had seen, Regina’s blood turned to ice. This was all her fault. Not only did she rob that carriage, but she was also the one who have given Emma that damn bag. And now the woman was being taken to the castle of the Evil Queen. 

 

She let go of Henry, sitting him down on her bed and started collecting the things she was going to need. Bow, quiver, a pair of daggers, rope.

 

“What are you doing Mom?” Henry had stopped crying, but his voice was gravelly and he sounded so vulnerable, Regina’s heart clenched. She didn’t have the heart to correct him, not when she was the cause of all of this, so she just gave him a tight-lipped smile.

 

“I am going to get your mother back from the Queen.”

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Emma was lying on the hard and dirty floor of a carriage, hands bound behind her back and feet bound together as well. A guard set on the bench above and had been delivering kicks to her ribs whenever he thought she squirmed too much. It had already been at least an hour since she was unceremoniously thrown to the floor.

 

Thoughts were swirling through her head. Henry and her had tried to get back to Storybrooke, tried to convince Regina that they weren’t completely batshit crazy and get her to share a true love’s kiss with that horrible excuse of a man. It hadn’t worked, of course it hadn’t worked, how could a woman as magnificent as Regina have a true love like him? Of course that had been their only solution to being stuck in this ass backwards world where Regina was a bandit who loved in a hovel and Snow the Evil Queen. And now it looked like she would never see Storybrooke again.

 

The carriage came to an abrupt halt, the door swung open and she was brutally yanked from the floor. Being held in a standing position just outside the carriage, she finally came face to face with her mother. Well, the screwed up evil version of her at least. 

 

Emma tried to search for any recognizable part of Mary Margaret in the Queen’s eyes, but was only met with loathing and fury. When the Queen spoke, her voice sent a shiver down Emma’s spine.

 

“So. You’re the vermin who is working together with Regina.”

 

“W-what? I-“

 

“I don’t recall allowing you to speak.”

 

Emma almost fell over when one of the soldiers punched her in the gut, but of course the other asshole holding on to her arm yanked her up again as Snow stepped forward, clamping her hand down on the blonde’s throat.

 

“Tell me where Regina is hiding. Tell me and I will let you live out your days in my dungeons.”

 

The blonde only offered an empty stare. If her choice was between giving Regina up to certain torture and death and ending up in the dungeons or dying herself for not saying anything, she would rather Henry was left with one mother to care for him. Despite the bandit’s reluctance to believe she really was his other mother, Emma knew that she would take perfect care of the boy; motherhood was just in the brunette’s blood.

 

So she just kept staring straight ahead, trying not to give Snow the pleasure of seeing fear in her eyes.

 

The Queen let go of her throat with a sneer and ordered “Take this sorry excuse for a thief to the pole and gather the execution squad.”

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Regina pushed the horse she had borrowed from a villager to its limit. She knew she was throwing herself head first into danger, but how could she let Emma, that stubborn, beautiful woman, take the fall for her crimes? The fear coursing through her veins only made her spur the horse on even more. If she were who the Queen was really after, then she would give herself up to save Emma in a heartbeat. 

 

After another twenty-minute’s hard ride, she approached the castle. She quickly dismounted, a bit confused as to why the security seemed so… relaxed. Very few guards were posted on the castle walls as well as by the gate. Something felt off.

 

Not having much time to ponder why the castle seemed virtually unprotected, Regina covered her hair with a large hood and hurried to climb one of the walls where there was no guard in sight. She made it up and into the castle without anyone seeing her.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Emma struggled to stay awake. She had been bound to a large pole, rope around her legs and hips, the wood scraping against her back and her arms circling the pole behind her back. She had been left standing there for a while, probably only for an hour or so, but it felt like much longer. Her body was tired and bruised after the carriage ride and sorrow ripped through her chest at the thought of never seeing Henry again, or her parents or… Regina. 

 

She hung her head as tears slowly made their way down her cheeks. Hell, she would even be glad to see Leroy again if she had the chance. 

 

Suddenly, people started to enter the small courtyard, whispering amongst themselves and occasionally pointing or nodding her way. Emma’s stomach sank when the Queen marched in, flanked by bodyguards and what appeared to be nobles. After them came a squad of eight men, all dressed in black and all with their faces covered under scarves and hoods. They all carried bows and arrows and as they lined up in front of where she was bound, the blonde realized that that was it. She was going to die, alone.

 

Her green eyes scanned the crowd, most of the people there seemed scared rather than excited and the blonde thought that they must be workers from the castle, corralled together to witness Emma being made an example of. The Queen had started talking, but Emma didn’t pay her any attention as her focus had been captured by a hooded figure moving through the crowd. When the figure stopped to glance up at where Emma was standing, her breath caught in her throat. She knew those eyes. Regina.

 

Panic started to settle in Emma’s gut; if Regina was here then where the hell was Henry? And why was she here in the first place, Emma had let herself be captured to make sure Regina was safe, and now she was here? Walking around right in front of her mortal enemy who, if given the chance, would not hesitate to sever her head from her body.

 

Regina weaved through the people gathered to witness the execution and ended up standing just a few feet from Emma’s left side. She saw the blonde looking at her with panic in her eyes, subtly shaking her head as if to implore the brunette to return to the relative safety of the forest.

 

“…and because of her affiliation with the treacherous bandit Regina, this woman is sentenced to death.” Snow’s voice boomed over the courtyard.

 

The black-clad archers picked up their bows and arrows, all aiming at Emma. The blonde’s breathing grew erratic with panic and tears started to flow yet again. She thought about home, about sharing a hot chocolate with Henry at Granny’s, about her little brother smiling up at her, about her parents warm hugs. And she though about Regina. She thought about her radiant, but rare, smile, the way her eyes would light up at Emma’s bad jokes, the way she smelled… She had wasted her opportunity with the stunning brunette; it was all too late now.

 

Keeping her eyes closed, Emma didn’t see the officer of the guard lower his hand as an order to fire. She only heard the air whistle as the arrows were released and felt the excruciating pain of them burying themselves in her body, and she heard someone scream her name, a thud and the people around her gasp. Her eyes flew open in pain and she saw the arrows sticking out of her torso, blood flowing freely down her body. 

 

She also saw a raven-haired figure lying on the ground not too far in front of her, two arrows planted in its’ body. _Regina_. She wanted to scream then, but all that came out was a horrible wheezing sound.

 

Regina scrambled to get up, one arrow having pierced her side; another stuck in her left thigh. She only got as far as pushing off of the ground with her hands before two guards captured her arms and pulled her up.

 

“Well, well. If it isn’t Regina.” Snow sounded delighted. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t let your accomplice die all alone.” The Queen moved forward, cradling Regina’s face in her hands, letting her sharp nails dig into her cheeks. She forced Regina to face Emma, slumping against the pole, eyes closed, her breathing coming in short gasps, clothes soaked through with crimson and quiet tears dripping from her pale cheeks. 

 

“Look at what you’ve done Regina.” Snow smiled.

 

“Emma…” It was nothing more than a groan as it left the brunette’s lips, her own cheeks now stained with tears. “No…”

 

“Oh yes,” the Queen continued. “Your… friend here is dying, and it’s all your fault for dragging her into this.” She released her grip on the brunette’s cheeks and wiped off the tears on her cloak. “Take her to the dungeons. There she’ll have plenty of time thinking about what she has done.”

 

“And what of her,” a guard nodded in Emma’s direction.

 

“Leave her. She’ll be dead soon enough.” And with that, the Queen walked away.

 

As the guards started to drag her away, Regina thrashed and screamed.

 

“No, no, no. No! Emma! Emma!!”

 

The blonde was barely aware of what was happening, but at the sound of her name, she managed to open her eyes and lift her head an inch, only to catch Regina’s terrified deep brown eyes. They held the gaze for a moment, but then Emma’s head sunk back towards her chest.

 

“Emma! I love you, please, I love you!”

 

A hint of a smile touched bloodstained lips, but the blonde could do nothing but wait for the pain to be over.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The guards brusquely threw Regina into a cell in the castle dungeon, the arrows still in her body. As she lay on the cold and wet stone, she could do nothing but let her tears flow and sobs rack her broken body.

 

“I-I’m so sorry, Emma, so, so sorry…”

 

She thought of when she had first met the blonde and her son, and she thought about when Emma had been to see her earlier in the day. Regina thought about how Emma’s eyes always seemed to sparkle when she looked at her, and the way her hair caught the sun. Witnessing Emma sacrifice for her had made it painfully clear that she was in fact in love with the strange woman, and now she would never see her again.

 

As the brunette let her thoughts run wild, she started to feel as if the world was blurring, her she felt light-headed and her head was spinning. Then it all went black.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

With a jolt, Regina woke up. The world seemed bright and she could feel a gentle breeze caress her face. As her eyes grew accustomed to the light, she found that she was outside, lying on the street in Storybrooke. Memories came flooding back and as she got up, seeing Henry do the same a couple of feet away, she felt panic coursing through her whole body. Where was Emma? She should be there.

 

“Mom, you did it! We’re back home!”

 

“Henry, where is Emma? She should be here, she has to be here!”

 

“Uh, I thought she was with you. You did save her from Evil Snow didn’t you?”

 

“I…” She stared at her son in horror. What if Emma didn’t come back, what if she…

 

“Henry, find your grandparents.”

 

“But mom-“

 

“No! Just do as I say, please!”

 

She watched Henry run down the street in search of Mary Margaret and David, and when he turned a corner Regina poofed herself away in a cloud of purple smoke.

 

She appeared again, standing inside the Charming’s apartment. She figured she might as well start her search there. Walking through the kitchen and living room, she saw no signs of the blonde.

 

“Emma?” Regina called before going upstairs. It had become a habit to do so, ever since that time where she just walked up and caught Emma in nothing but her underwear. They had both blushed profusely and agreed never to speak of it ever again. The knot in the brunette’s stomach only grew, what if she never got the chance to tell the blonde what a gorgeous sight that had been?

 

As she reached the top of the stairs, Regina drew a sharp breath. On the bed was Emma, asleep, but alive. Her chest rose and fell with deep breaths, and Regina could see no evidence of the blood that had drenched the blonde’s clothes when she last saw her.

 

The relief washed over her at the sight. “Emma.” She sat on the edge of the bed, clasping Emma’s left hand in her own. “Emma, wake up. It’s okay, we’re home, you did it.”

 

No reaction.

 

“Emma!” She grasped on to strong shoulders and shook the sleeping woman lightly. “Emma, can you hear me?” Panic snuck up on her yet again. Why wasn’t she waking up?

 

Then it hit her. She released the blonde’s shoulder and instead moved her hands to cup her cheeks. She leaned over and carefully brushed her lips against Emma’s.

 

“I love you Emma Swan.”

 

A deep breath, and then: “I love you too Regina.”

 

The brunette stared crying then, burying her face in Emma’s neck where she could feel her pulse, beating strong and steady. 

 

“I-I though you were dead,” she managed to get out.

 

Emma brought her arms up and around the smaller woman, stroking her back and her hair.

 

“I was,” she whispered. “I could feel my body shutting down, and I saw the light, you know, that everybody is always talking about? But then, everything just went… black and I woke up with your lips on mine. Best wake up call ever if you ask me,” she finished with a smile.

 

Regina let out a small laugh at that and sat up to wipe away her tears.

 

“I’m so so-“

 

Emma quickly reached up and covered Regina’s lips with a finger.

 

“Stop. You have nothing to apologize for okay?”

 

“But-“

 

“No.” Emma sat up. “You jumped in front of flying arrows for me, your argument is invalid. Now kiss me again so I can reciprocate.”

 

And as their lips met again, they knew that this was what they had both been searching for their whole lives. This was home.


End file.
